The present invention relates to a contacting unit for a card-shaped carrier element of electronic components, especially a PCMCIA card, which is provided, in addition to the contact field at the edge of the contacting unit, with contact elements at a face thereof for contacting a chip card which is inserted parallel to the PCMCIA card into a slot-shaped insertion channel of the housing of the contacting unit. The insertion channel between a base plate of the housing and especially the PCMCIA card is laterally open and has an insertion guide at the end of the contacting unit opposite the contact field.
In the field of computer technology electronic components are preferably arranged on card-shaped carrier elements. These have contacting areas and are insertable into contacting units where they are electrically contacted and integrated into the data processing circuit. These carrier elements include the so-called chip cards which are for example used as telephone cards. They have contacting fields arranged on surfaces thereof for contacting a chip and are inserted into the card readers of contacting units.
Furthermore, card-shaped carrier elements according to PCMCIA standard are known which have a standardized matrix-like plug-in contacting field at their leading insertion edge and further comprise various IC circuits. Such cards can be used as memory expansion cards, hard disc cards, modem cards etc. They can be contacted in contacting units with a corresponding pin matrix for which purpose they are inserted into the insertion slot, for example, of a computer.
From European Patent Application 0 552 078 A1 a combination of such card systems is known so that simultaneously a PCMCIA card and a chip card can be inserted into a corresponding modular receiving slot of a computer for reading and processing. It is disadvantageous that the contact fields are exposed and that the chip card is insufficiently guided whereby the chip card is furthermore moveable, even in its operating position, relative to the PCMCIA card so that proper contacting can not be ensured.
A special embodiment of chip card receiving units and possibilities for a simple connection to a computer have been suggested in German Patent Application 43 10 517 A1 in which at the contacting unit of the PCMCIA card an insertion channel for the chip card and an insertion guide are provided which have an area projecting relative to the PCMCIA card in order to provide for a safe insertion of the entire contacting unit into the modular receiving slot of the computer. Disadvantageously, this suggestion however deviates greatly from the standardized embodiment of the PCMCIA card and can also not ensure that the chip card is held securely and non-displacably within the contacting position. A safe operation in the sense of repeated use in connection with automated devices etc. can not be ensured with the known contacting unit. Furthermore, due to the laterally open construction of the housing, the mechanical stability of the contacting unit and its torsional stiffness are minimal so that the functional reliability during its service life is at risk.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve a contacting unit of the aforementioned kind so that the aforementioned disadvantages can be avoided. The contacting unit should ensure a safe securing, contacting, and guiding in the combination of a PCMCIA card with one or more additional insertable chip cards and should have a housing that allows, for smallest dimensions, a high torsional stiffness, stability, and thus permanency.